I signed up with NRG and have spoken to Einar a couple of times. I didn't get any sketchy vibes from him at all...very clear, responsive, direct communication so far. He was formerly at Apollo and seems to have a long history of doing legitimate business in Europe. I feel good about NRG thus far, but it might be worth checking in with him yourself.

Yes it feels a bit uncomfortable handing this info over but I got contacted by them initially via the head of a music library I did some work for some years back and he was letting me know he had something to do with NRG which I took as a good sign.

I really didn't mean to suggest this is a scam; that was just a little frustration with life rearing it's ugly head there. I am sure it is legit; it's just that they are asking for too much, too soon. Bank acct info (ok, to wire money to) should come later - not before you sign up. And passport???

And the thing that really isn't helping things, is the fact that after recvg a welcome email, I have left two vms for a rep, who has not called me back.

I really didn't mean to suggest this is a scam; that was just a little frustration with life rearing it's ugly head there. I am sure it is legit; it's just that they are asking for too much, too soon. Bank acct info (ok, to wire money to) should come later - not before you sign up. And passport???

And the thing that really isn't helping things, is the fact that after recvg a welcome email, I have left two vms for a rep, who has not called me back.

Not a reason to ask for ALL of that info up front, BEFORE you have a relationship with them. That can come after.

Yeah, not a fan of that either. There's got to be a better way to confirm someone's identity. So much identity theft going on that even if they are OK (and I'm sure they are) having that info floating around for someone else to hack makes me nervous.

I asked Sarah Coffey (NRG) last week a little about the process. They are currently translating INTERGRAM statements from Czech to English and will be sending the first NRG statements in the next couple weeks. The statements we received last week were directly from INTERGRAM. NRG will collect the money from INTERGRAM then distribute the money to performers. You guys can all hang tight until we confirm that we have money deposited to our accounts. So far, it looks very promising.

As for passports, etc. A passport is the only accepted form of identification abroad that has your matching signature. Foreign countries tax services and collection agencies are not currently accepting your high school ID card. You know I'm just giving y'all a hard time, but a passport is the only card that offers conclusive proof of US citizenship. Anyone requesting this info should give you serious pause. But, anytime they've requested any of this info it's been in conjunction with the specific requirements of a given country's collection agency. All of them are different. Some countries didn't require a passport, but the passport was provided as the gold standard of ID's. All of the info is exchanged through very secure means via Eversign (encrypted uploads, etc), not via email.

Again, if you're feeling super unsure just hang tight, and we'll be able to tell you if it's legit or not within a month. Food for thought... NRG is a spinoff/subsidiary of Studio Fontana, who have been in the library biz for about 23 years now.

Sarah has a US number you can call if you have any questions. I believe she's from the US, so language won't be a barrier (although I've found everyone I've contacted at NRG speaks English very well). If you want Sarah's number send me a PM.

Sarah has a US number you can call if you have any questions. I believe she's from the US, so language won't be a barrier (although I've found everyone I've contacted at NRG speaks English very well). If you want Sarah's number send me a PM.

I asked Sarah Coffey (NRG) last week a little about the process. They are currently translating INTERGRAM statements from Czech to English and will be sending the first NRG statements in the next couple weeks. The statements we received last week were directly from INTERGRAM. NRG will collect the money from INTERGRAM then distribute the money to performers. You guys can all hang tight until we confirm that we have money deposited to our accounts. So far, it looks very promising.

As for passports, etc. A passport is the only accepted form of identification abroad that has your matching signature. Foreign countries tax services and collection agencies are not currently accepting your high school ID card. You know I'm just giving y'all a hard time, but a passport is the only card that offers conclusive proof of US citizenship. Anyone requesting this info should give you serious pause. But, anytime they've requested any of this info it's been in conjunction with the specific requirements of a given country's collection agency. All of them are different. Some countries didn't require a passport, but the passport was provided as the gold standard of ID's. All of the info is exchanged through very secure means via Eversign (encrypted uploads, etc), not via email.

Again, if you're feeling super unsure just hang tight, and we'll be able to tell you if it's legit or not within a month. Food for thought... NRG is a spinoff/subsidiary of Studio Fontana, who have been in the library biz for about 23 years now.

Sarah has a US number you can call if you have any questions. I believe she's from the US, so language won't be a barrier (although I've found everyone I've contacted at NRG speaks English very well). If you want Sarah's number send me a PM.

it was the SS Number that bothers me. Having that BEFORE you sign? Why is that necessary? I understand the passport deal....

... but a passport is the only card that offers conclusive proof of US citizenship. Anyone requesting this info should give you serious pause. But, anytime they've requested any of this info it's been in conjunction with the specific requirements of a given country's collection agency. All of them are different. Some countries didn't require a passport, but the passport was provided as the gold standard of ID's. All of the info is exchanged through very secure means via Eversign (encrypted uploads, etc), not via email.

Ok, that means they don't need the SS#

And what's wrong with a signed DL? Passports are just as easy - if not easier - to fake in the digital realm.

My guess is that they assume you are signing up with them and are just collecting the info they need to do so...are you not?

They are basically functioning like a PRO. You need to supply similar info to a PRO during the application/affiliation process.

NRG collects royalties from a bunch of different countries, each one with their own requirements. You are electing for NRG to collect on your behalf, so they have to have a ton of documentation in place for identity and tax reasons...PRO's around the world aren't going to send your royalties to NRG just because they claim to represent you. They need to have proof of your identity and proof that you've willingly entered into this arrangement.

I'm guessing so people don't sign up as "Hans Zimmer" and/or try to evade taxes from the country in which the royalties are collected and the country of the artists' residence..

I don't remember my PRO ever asking for a scan of my passport or my SSN.

I don't think they are in the area of tax evasion policing either. Also, what tax would be due on royalties from the country in which royalties are collected and how would it be paid by the composer? When ASCAP pays you, royalties were already withheld in the foreign country if necessary (as far as I know).

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of some extra revenue from NRG, but I'm not so thrilled about sending those details to a website based in Easter Europe, or in fact, to anyone, in any country, anywhere. Even a CPA here in the US, when asking for your SSN would normally want you to send it 'securely' and not just in email.

Also, when it's so important to see a passport to verify identity, wouldn't the real version need to be seen and not a scan or photocopy?

I don't remember my PRO ever asking for a scan of my passport or my SSN.

I don't think they are in the area of tax evasion policing either. Also, what tax would be due on royalties from the country in which royalties are collected and how would it be paid by the composer? When ASCAP pays you, royalties were already withheld in the foreign country if necessary (as far as I know).

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of some extra revenue from NRG, but I'm not so thrilled about sending those details to a website based in Easter Europe, or in fact, to anyone, in any country, anywhere. Even a CPA here in the US, when asking for your SSN would normally want you to send it 'securely' and not just in email.

Also, when it's so important to see a passport to verify identity, wouldn't the real version need to be seen and not a scan or photocopy?

Also I've been required to submit a copy of my passport (without presenting the original) for several financial transactions..I'm not jazzed about sending this info but sometimes it has to be done.

Isn't NRG owned by Studio Fontana? I think it's the same people but I could be wrong. If they're respected enough to handle WCPM's affairs in Czech Republic, they're fine by me!

Of course YMMV...

Respect to you for not escalating this. Yea you're probably right that ASCAP asked for an SSN. I've been asked for a copy of passport in some instances, but when it's something very important either that copy has to be notarized, or they have to see the original.

NRG does seem to have some reputable reccomendations and background but the signup form really has me hesitating..

I asked Sarah Coffey (NRG) last week a little about the process. They are currently translating INTERGRAM statements from Czech to English and will be sending the first NRG statements in the next couple weeks. The statements we received last week were directly from INTERGRAM. NRG will collect the money from INTERGRAM then distribute the money to performers. You guys can all hang tight until we confirm that we have money deposited to our accounts. So far, it looks very promising.

As for passports, etc. A passport is the only accepted form of identification abroad that has your matching signature. Foreign countries tax services and collection agencies are not currently accepting your high school ID card. You know I'm just giving y'all a hard time, but a passport is the only card that offers conclusive proof of US citizenship. Anyone requesting this info should give you serious pause. But, anytime they've requested any of this info it's been in conjunction with the specific requirements of a given country's collection agency. All of them are different. Some countries didn't require a passport, but the passport was provided as the gold standard of ID's. All of the info is exchanged through very secure means via Eversign (encrypted uploads, etc), not via email.

Again, if you're feeling super unsure just hang tight, and we'll be able to tell you if it's legit or not within a month. Food for thought... NRG is a spinoff/subsidiary of Studio Fontana, who have been in the library biz for about 23 years now.

Sarah has a US number you can call if you have any questions. I believe she's from the US, so language won't be a barrier (although I've found everyone I've contacted at NRG speaks English very well). If you want Sarah's number send me a PM.

Is there anything you could say about how promising it's looking? Even if not a raw figure for expected royalties, maybe as a percentage of annual broadcast royalties? E.g. is it perhaps an extra 1%, 10%, 20% etc of annual broadcast?

None of my publishers have asked for these three things, and they are 'big' publishers who also take everything very seriously.

They need your SSN number for tax purposes. They report your foreign income to the IRS.

They need your passport to validate your country of origin. If you read how Neighboring Rights work, each country has different stipulations. Some countries will ONLY pay NR to composers who are from their country... so if you aren't a french citizen, no NR from France... and so on... other countries will pay foreigners from signatory countries but will not pay foreigners from non-signatory countries (the US is a non-signatory country). And lastly some other countries will pay NR to any other NR society regardless of the performer's country of origin.

That is why they need a copy of your passport, to show which country you come from regardless of where the NR collection agency is from.

Birth date is most likely to differentiate you from any other performer with registered works that has the same name as you now or in the future.

They need your passport to validate your country of origin. If you read how Neighboring Rights work, each country has different stipulations. Some countries will ONLY pay NR to composers who are from their country... so if you aren't a french citizen, no NR from France... and so on... other countries will pay foreigners from signatory countries but will not pay foreigners from non-signatory countries (the US is a non-signatory country). And lastly some other countries will pay NR to any other NR society regardless of the performer's country of origin.

That's all well and good, but I stand firm on my feelings of they should not be asking for this BEFORE you have a relationship with them.

Is there anything you could say about how promising it's looking? Even if not a raw figure for expected royalties, maybe as a percentage of annual broadcast royalties? E.g. is it perhaps an extra 1%, 10%, 20% etc of annual broadcast?

So far, one country for one year will add a bit under 10% to my royalty bottom line. We'll see how it plays out, but if a number of countries come in with a similar payout. Well... that's promising!

Keep in mind that this is 50% of the pie, the other half going to whomever owns the master recording. Guys like Fulford could stand to make 2x the money on their owned catalogs.

That's all well and good, but I stand firm on my feelings of they should not be asking for this BEFORE you have a relationship with them.

Cheers.

As far as I know, you submit your name, email and phone number to NRG to initiate the process. Then they contact you with information and a link to sign up... using encrypted forms and uploads. Has your experience been different?

I don't remember if I had to provide my SS#, I think I provided my EIN? You all did the same thing when you filled out a W-9 to get paid by your PRO or any library that ever paid you money. A passport is nothing but a super common form of ID that works universally in and out of the US.

Anyho, it's understandably scary. So like I said, why don't you just wait until/if we get paid? You also have options with US based companies like SoundExchange. Don't know what their cut is... Ehren, didn't you talk to them about worldwide rep? But if SoundExchange requests your passport, SS# and/or birth date you're not allowed to come back and complain about it.

But I don't know if they collect TV broadcast or just streaming, foreign terrestrial radio, and digital radio. Ideally they'd collect all of it. If so, can't beat zero admin fee. Don't know how much they know about library music, if at all. That's one advantage of NRG.

John, I guess I know from which publisher(s) you have received the mail. I received the same mail.
Just get yourself into such collecting societies. I am with GVL for the world except Czech Republik.
In Czech Republik I am with NRG.
Those rights are your rights as a musician and instrumentalist on your own tracks or tracks from others !
You will get 100% and you don`t have to share with publishers and/or labels. Such organisations mostly charge around 15%
from your collected rights.
Don`t expect super much, it`s not like a nice Ascap or BMI statement. You willl receive a couple hundred bugs up to a couple thousands a year. It`s little money but still ok for doing exactly nothing!

Hey. I hope you don't mind me asking, but have you ever received a payment from NRG? I signed up with them in August 2018. They informed me that the first payment would be before the end of February 2019, but still no sign.....